The Remake: Here's a movie which suffered immeasurably due to its thematic similarity to the vastly superior The Truman Show (which was released the year before), but on its own terms, EDtv is actually a pretty sharp satire of the reality TV wave that followed the movie's release. Matthew McConaughey stars as Ed Pekurny, a man who agrees to have his entire life recorded by a camera crew for a TV show, and though the results of Ron Howard's movie are a little uneven at times, it's still clever, amusing and well-acted. The Original: EDtv is based on the 1994 Canadian comedy Louis 19, King of the Airwaves, which coming four years ahead of either The Truman Show or EDtv is an almost frighteningly prescient examination of the future of reality TV. It lacks the star power of the remake and is generally a more gentle satire, but it's no less valid even if it's only been seen by a comparative few. Which One Is Better?: EDtv benefits from stronger production values even if it's not quite as smart and dignified. Again, a tough choice, but considering that the original is so difficult to come by, the decision on which one to watch is pretty much made for you.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
